The First Established Population of the Invasive Silverfish Ctenolepisma Longicaudata (Escherich) in the Czech Republic

Home , Ctenolepisma, Lepidotrichidae, Lepismatidae, Maindroniidae, Nicoletiidae, Silverfish

The first established population of the invasive silverfish Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Escherich) in the Czech Republic

Martin Kulma1,2,*, Vladimír Vrabec2, Jiří Patoka2 and František Rettich1 1National Reference Laboratory for Vector Control, National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 48, 100 42 Praha 10, Czech Republic 2Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic *Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 13 March 2018 / Accepted: 20 May 2018 / Published online: 3 July 2018 Handling editor: Angeliki Martinou

Abstract

The silverfish Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Escherich) (Zygentoma, Lepismatidae) is an invasive, synanthropic, warehouse, and economic pest, probably of Central American origin. During recent decades, its occasional occurrence has been recorded from some European countries. Here, we report the first established population of C. longicaudata within the territory of the Czech Republic. In the autumn 2017, the population was discovered in a warehouse and surrounding office buildings in Prague. Since this species causes damage to starch components and fabrics as well as food contamination, we strongly recommend further monitoring and possibly eradication. Key words: Lepismatidae, insect, invasive species, biological invasion, Prague

Introduction continents excluding Antarctica. In Europe, the first individual was captured in France in 1914 (Paclt Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Escherich), also known 1967). However, the nocturnal and hidden way of under the common names giant silverfish, long-tailed life probably caused C. longicaudata to remain under- silverfish, and paperfish, is strictly synanthropic and recorded and the establishment of this silverfish in a successful invasive insect species belonging to the several European countries was only confirmed in order Zygentoma, family Lepismatidae. Since C. lon- recent decades. For instance, in the Netherlands, where gicaudata is of no serious medical importance apart C. longicaudata is currently the dominant species in from the potential for food contamination, it is the modern household environment (Schoelitsz and considered to be an economic pest (Smith 2017), Brooks 2014), this invasive species was first identified especially due to its ability to feed on cellulose and in 1989 (Nierop and Hakbijl 2002). Subsequently, it starchy materials (Van der Weijden et al. 2007), was reported in Austria (Zimmermann 2016), Belgium including wallpapers, books, photo albums, and (Lock 2007), Germany (Meineke and Menge 2014), archives. Moreover, they can also cause damage to Italy (Molero-Baltanás et al. 2000), Sweden (Pape and cotton or silk (Mallis et al. 1958). Wahlstedt 2002), and the United Kingdom (Goddard Although first described in South Africa (Escherich et al. 2016). Considering relatively intensive trade 1905), its native range and origin is unclear. This among the aforementioned countries and the Czech species may originate from central parts of America Republic, the introduction of these cardboard package (Zettel 2010) while Wygodzinsky (1972) marked it inhabitants was rather a question of time. In the as non-native in this region. From there it has been summer 2017, several local Czech online mass media introduced indirectly by human activities, especially (idnes.cz or euro.cz) even informed about potential as a contaminant of transported commodities, to all risks associated with an invasion of this species.

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Figure 1. Location of the established population of invasive Ctenolepisma longicaudata in Prague, Czech Republic.

Methods stacked using Helicon Focus 3.20.2 Pro software. All individuals were morphologically identified using Site recent keys (Theron 1963; Wygodzinsky 1972). The On 18 October 2017, a private company contacted species identification was then confirmed by Patrizia the Department for Vector Control of the National Visentin (Entostudio s.r.l., Italy) and Fabrizio Montarsi Institute of Public Health (Czech Republic) to report (Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, the occurrence of an unusual silverfish species in Italy). The voucher specimens are deposited at the their offices, archive, and the adjacent warehouse National Institute of Public Health in Prague, Czech located in the suburb of Prague (Staré Bohnice district, Republic and in the collection of the Czech University GPS: 50.1346N, 14.4154E, Figures 1 and 2A), where of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic. it was causing damage by feeding on documents. Afterwards, the area was visited by the authors, who Results detected dozens of silverfish, collected some individuals using an aspirator, and preserved them in plastic During the onsite inspection in the warehouse, we vials with 70% ethanol for further identification. captured 14 individuals (six adults and eight juveniles). Based on the morphological features, all Species identification captured silverfish were identified with certainty as Ctenolepisma longicaudata. The highest density of The collected individuals were examined with an C. longicaudata was found in the warehouse, on Olympus SZ61 stereomicroscope, and measurements shelves with empty paper boxes (Figure 2A). Addi- were taken with an ocular grid. Photos were taken tionally, species-specific damage (Figure 2B, C) was using Canon MP-E 65mm/2.8 1–5x macrolens on observed throughout the entire area of the company, bellows attached to a Canon EOS 550D camera. including administrative offices. During the collection Partially focused images of each specimen were of the samples, the humidity in the warehouse was 35%

330 The first established population Ctenolepisma longicaudata in the Czech Republic

Figure 2. (A) A warehouse as the habitat of Ctenolepisma longicaudata; (B, C), damage caused by silverfish feeding in a neighbouring office building. Photo: J. Patoka (A), J. Dvořáková (B, C).

and air temperature was 23 °C. The captured adult lineata, which was confirmed in the South Moravian individuals had a body length of more than 12 mm Region (Štys and Rozkošný 1996; Král and Davidová- (Figure 3A), with a dark grey dorsal abdomen, uni- Vilímová 2001), is very rare and is listed as a critically form in color, antennae, and tails (cerci) longer than endangered species (Rusek 2005). The last silverfish the body. The head bore numerous setae on the front species, A. formicaria (family Nicoletiidae), lives in margin (Figure 3B), and the last abdominal segment ant colonies, especially of the genus Lasius (Parmentier was truncate with slightly emarginate posterior et al. 2013). Here, we record for the first time the margin. Unlike the other local silverfish species, occurrence of C. longicaudata in the Czech Republic. every collected individual had 3+3 bristle combs of Given the observed abundance and presence of all macrosetae on the II–VI urotergites. Finally, nine developmental stages of C. longicaudata including sensory papillae on the terminal segment of the labial small nymphs, the species is considered established. palpus (Figure 3C) supported the identification as In the past, households, libraries, and museums C. longicaudata. used to be the main habitats for C. longicaudata. Unlike other European anthropophilic Zygentoma Discussion species, C. longicaudata does not necessarily need high air humidity and temperature for its develop- In the Czech Republic, four silverfish species have ment. The temperature optimum lies at around 24 °C; been reported to date: Atelura formicaria Heyden, however, Ctenolepisma longicaudata might also Ctenolepisma lineata Fabricius, Lepisma saccharina survive in temperatures as low as 1 °C for several L., and Thermobia domestica Packard (Rusek 1977). months (Lock 2007). This species feeds mainly on While L. saccharina is very common in households cellulose (paper) or starch including glue (Van der throughout the country, the other species mentioned Weijden et al. 2007) and has also been reported to be above are quite rare. Thermobia domestica Packard attracted by food residues (Goddard et al. 2016). occurs only in warmer artificial habitats, such as Additionally, it can survive long periods of starvation bakeries, boiler rooms, hot-water heaters, or heating (Lindsay 1940). Therefore, it is able to spread easily plants, and is also commercially reared for use as with the aid of parcel and post services and, conse- live prey for small insectivorous pets. Ctenolepisma quently, readily colonizes new areas. Its introduction

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Figure 3. A captured specimen of Ctenolepisma longicaudata: (A) dorsal view; (B) head, ventral view; (C) terminal segment of the labial palpus. Photo: R. Sehnal (A), M. Petrtýl (B), P. Visentin (C).

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